If you have visited your local GP or attended an Emergency Department (ED) recently in Grafton or Maclean, you may have noticed some fresh faces assisting with your care.

The Clarence Valley is currently hosting four medical students from the University of Wollongong who are spending 12 months living, working and training in Northern NSW.

As part of their medical degree, Keiran, Matt, Jack and Felix spend part of their week working in the Emergency Departments at Grafton Base Hospital and Maclean District Hospital.

The ED is often one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of a regional placement, and the upcoming Jacaranda Festival adds an extra level of complexity to an already busy environment.

To stay ahead of these challenges, students and staff participate in simulation-based education designed to reflect the real stressors and complexities that Emergency Department staff may experience.

“The ED provides exposure to such a wide variety of cases, from the least urgent, to those requiring resuscitation or immediate transport by helicopter to a bigger center. The team work and coordination is such a big factor,” Medical student Keiran Davis said.

Students also immerse themselves in the community during their stay, this year participating in the dragon boat race as part of the Festival.

The University of Wollongong (UoW) has a strong focus on attracting medical students with rural or regional backgrounds, and has been placing medical students in the Clarence Valley region for clinical placements since 2009.